Button-making machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. S. MENKIN. BUTTO MAKING MACHINE.

Patented July `20, 1897.

Witnesses.

Attorney.

ma mams Finns cn, Hom-ums, wAsmNm'cw u 1 (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.S. MENKIN.

BUTTON MAKING MACHINE.

No. 586,821. Patented July 20,1897.

Witnesses. Inventor. f. 4 www, my/md 5 @dgl/5 Attorney.

S.-MENKIN.

BUTTON MAKING MAGHINE.

No. 586,821. Patented July 20,"1891 (N0 Model.) a sheets-sneer. 3,

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SOLOMON MENKIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BUTTON-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 586,821, dated July 20,189'?.

Application filed .April 28, 1896. Serial No. 589,381. (No model.)

To aZZ 1071/0772, it may concern:

Be it known that LSOLOMON MENKIN, a subject of the Czar of Russia,residing in the city and county of Philadelphia,and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements inButton Making Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to machines for making cloth-covered buttons, andhas for its object to provide a simple and etticient constructionwhereby the several parts or members of buttons may be expeditiouslyassembled and combined.

To this end the invention comprises a novel construction and arrangementof the dies in which the button parts are manually disposed preparatoryto their organization by vertically-reciprocating coacting dies, whichiirstnamed dies are so mounted and arranged that they are horizontallymovable forwardly of the upper dies in a manner to permit the feeding orintroduction of the button parts to the machine without danger of injuryto the hands of the operator by the descending dies.

The invention also comprises a novel construction and arrangement of theupper dies and their supporting parts whereby said dies are laterallyreciprocated automatically, so as to act upon alternate lower dies in amanner to transfer the button parts in one die to an adjacent die andtherein effect organization of the several parts.

The invention also comprises various features of construction andarrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter particularly dcscribed andclaimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying theinvention. Fig. 2 is a front view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view of theoscillatory sector-cam and its su pporting-plate as detached from themachine. Fig. et is a plan of the lower diesand their reciprocablesupporting-plate. Fig. 5 is a section as on the line oc of Fig. 2. Fig.G is a vertical section through the dies, enlarged, showingthe buttonparts as set in the lower dies A' and B preparatory to the descent ofthe upper dies. Fig. 7 is a similar section showing the cooperation ofsaid dies. Fig. 8 is a section through dies D and B (or D and B) ascompleting the organization of the parts of a button.

The numeral l designates the framework of the machine, comprisil'lg thebase 2 and the standard 3, with the overhanging guide portion 4. In thelatter is fitted a verticallyreciprocable plunger 5, to which isconnected one arm ot' a lever 6, the other arm thereof being linked witha treadle 7 or other suitable operating means.

Fitted to appropriate guides 8 in the base is a horizontallyreciprocableplate 9, on which are mounted the dies 10 for the reception of thebutton parts. The base is moved forward to enable the operator tointroduce such parts without liability of injury to his or her hands bythe premature descent of the upper series of coacting dies 11. In thepresent instance the plate is provided with two rearward]y-extendinglugs 12, which are pivotally connected with the lower arms of twoparallel vertical levers 13, fulcrumed on the sides of the standard. Inthe upper arms of these levers are camways 14, with which engage studs15 on the horizontal arm 1G, af- `fixed to the plunger.

The shape of the camways is such that during the descent of the plungerthe upper arms of the levers are thrown forward, so as to retract theplate 9 and set its dies 10 directly below the upper dies 11, whereuponthe plate and its dies remain in position uptil the two opposing sets ofdies coact. (See dotted lines in Fig. l.) When, however, the plunger israised, the lovers are oppositely moved, so as to project the plate andits dies forward in readiness for a succeeding operation.

The dies 10 are four in number, the same being arranged in pairs A B andA B', respectively, and each pair being constructed and designed toreceive the respective parts of a single button, as below explained. Thedies A and A are at the ends of the series, while those IS B areintermediate the same, as shown. These dies each comprise a cuplike head17, fitted to a stud 18, rising from the plate and maintained normallyelevated by means of suitably-disposed springs 19.

The upper dies 11, which coact with the dies just described, are threein number, the same ICU , springs 23.

being mounted upon a head-block 20, which is laterally movable, so as toeffect the coperation of the upper dies alternately with the lowerdies-that is to say, the central upper die coacts alternately with thetwo inner dies B B', while the outer upper dies coact with therespective outer lower dies A A' and with the inner dies B B adjacentthereto alternately. The central die Gis merelya tapered stem with ateat c on its lower end, while the outer dies D D' comprisecentrally-perforated heads 2l, fitted to stems 22 on the block 2O andheld normally depressed by means of The lower face of each of the heads2l is provided with an annular groove 24, with which register the rimsof the opposing lower heads I7 when the dies coact, as will presentlyappear.

The head-block 2O is fitted to a suitable guide-piece 25 on the lowerend of the plunger, and it is provided on the front and rear faces withoutwardly-extending studs 26 27, respectively. Pivoted to a plate 28 onthe standard, immediately in rear of the block 20, is an oscillatorysector-shaped cam 28a., which is pivoted a suitable distance below itsapex or upper end and is adapted during the descent of the plunger` tocoact with the stud 27 on the block and direct the latter to the rightor left, as the inclined edge of the cam may dictate. On the plate 28laterally of this cam are formed Vertical guides 29, which insure thecorrect position of the head and its dies in their descent.

On the front of the standard is affixed a plate 30, in the lower portionof which is formed a A-shaped recess 3l, which is so located in respectto the studs and the sector-cam that in the ascent of the plunger andits connections the stud 26 abuts against the opposing edge of therecess and is directed thereby to a central position, so that in thesucceeding descent of the plunger the rear stud 27 will occupy a properposition in relation to the beveled edges of the sectorthat is to say,assuming the sector to occupy the position represented in Fig. 3, thestud 27 will, in its descent, abut against the left edge of the sectorand be directed thereby into the left guide 29, the sector, perforce,being swung to the right, in which position it will be held by friction.In the succeeding ascent Yof the plunger the stud 26 will be again movedto the central position by the recessed portion of plate 30, andtherefore in the next downstroke of the plunger the stud 26 will abutagainst the right-hand edge of the sector and be directed thereby intothe right guide 29, the sector, as in the previous instance, beingshifted to the left-hand position and held by friction therein. Hencethe head-block will be moved endwise to and fro in harmony with thereciprocations of the lower dies.

Normally the parts occupy the relative positions shown by the full linesin Figs. l and 2-that is, the upper dies being raised and the lower diesbeing projected forward. At

the outset thev operator places in die A a shell t alii thereon aV clothdisk or cover w, and in die B' he places a collet Qc and thereon a flaxdisk y. He then depresses the treadle, thereby forcing down the plunger,in consequence of which the head-block, with its dies, is retracted, thedies B'and A being directly below the dies C D', respectively.Continuing the descent of the plunger the dies C D' coact with the lowerdies B' A', therebj` setting the disk y into the collet x andtransferring the shell c and cover fw from die A' into die D. (See Fig.7.) This being done, the plunger is raised, the head-block in its ascentbeing directed laterally with its dies to the central position, and theplate 8, with its dies, being projected forward. The operator thenplaces a paper wad or disk z, Fig. 8, upon the disk y in die B', andalso places in dies A and B parts similar to those placed at the outsetin the corresponding dies A' and B', and for convenience sake againlikewise places in die A' a shell and cover. He then forces down theplunger, the head-block 20, with its dies, thus being moved to the leftand the plate 8, with its dies, being retracted, the dies A B B' beingdirectly below the dies D, O, and D', respectively. In the furtherdescent of the plunger these opposing dies coact, in consequence ofwhich the button parts in die D' are combined with the parts in die B',so as to complete a button, (see Fig. 8,) while the action upon theparts in dies A and B is similar to that upon the like parts previouslydescribed in respect to dies B' and A'. The plunger is then raised, theheadblock being returned to its central position and the plate and diesbeing projected. The operator removes the completed button, places ashell and cover in die A, which may be conveniently done at this time, awad in die B, and a collet and disk in die B'. In the succeeding descentof the plunger the upper dies coact with the dies B, B', and A', thebutton parts in die B being combined with the parts in die D, so as tocomplete a button, while the action of the coacting dies C D' and B' Ais similar to that previously explained.

The operations of introducing the button parts to the` dies in properorder and the cooperation of the dies may be continued successively, inconsequence of which buttons will be completed alternately in the dies Band B'.

It will be observed that there are arranged on the rear of thehead-block depending arms 32. The function of these arms is to bearagainst the flanges of the die-heads 2l, re spectively, during thedescent of the headblock, and thereby act as thrust-plates for suchheads during their engagement with the lower dies.

I claim as my inventionl. In a button-making machine, the coinbination,with the supporting-frame, of the lower dies arranged in sets asdescribed, a horizontally-reciprocable support therefor, a

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vertieally-recprocable plunger, a head-block thereon, dies on saidhead-block adapted to coact with the lower dies at predetermined inntervals, means for laterally reciprocating said head-block during theaction of the plunger, and a rock-lever connected at its lower end withsaid support and at its upper end with the plunger, whereby during thedownward stroke of the plunger the lower die-supportis moved intoalinement with the upper dies, and during the upward stroke said supportis projected forwardly, substantially as described.

2. In a button-making machine, the com bination, with thesupporting-frame, of the lower dies, the plunger, alaterally-reciprocable head-block on the plunger, dies on saidhead-block, an oscillatory sector-shaped cam, a connection between thehead-block and said cam whereby the head-block in its descent is movedto the right or left as the position of the cam may dictate, andoperative connections between said plunger and the lower dies wherebyduring the downward stroke of the plunger the latter dies are moved intoalinement with the upper dies and during the upward stroke the lowerdies are projected forwardly, substantially as described.

In a button-making machine, the combination with the supporting-frame,of the lower dies, the plunger, a laterally-reciprocative head-block onthe plunger, dies on said head-block, an oscillatory sector-shaped cam,

and a connection between the head-block and said cam, whereby thehead-block in its descent is moved to the right or left as the positionof the cam may dictate, substantially as described.

4. In a button-inaking machine, the combination with thesupporting-frame, of the lower dies, the plunger, alaterally-reciprocative head-block on the plunger, dies on saidhead-block, an oscillatory sector-shaped cam, a fixed plate providedwith a A-shaped recess therein, and studs on said head-block adapted tocoact with the cam and recessed plate respectively, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a button-making machine, the combination with thesupporting-frame, of the lower dies arranged in pairs as described, theplunger, the laterally-reciprocable head-block thereon, the diesthereon, means for reciprocating said head, to effect their cooperationwith the lower dies, and the depending arms fixed on the respective endsof the head-block and adapted to engage the outer lower dies inalternate succession, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SOLOMON MENKIN.

Witnesses:

JOHN R. NoLAN, A. V. BLAoKwooD.

